Abstract: This application describes the software invented to control an electric motor system. The electric motor system is mounted on one or more aircraft main wheels or nose wheels to drive an aircraft independently on the ground without aircraft engines or tow vehicles. The software uses closed-loop control together with several other control laws to operate the drive motor or motors. Knowledge of the current operating state of the drive motor, together with knowledge of the commands given to taxi forward, taxi in reverse, or brake in reverse, is used to configure the motors to optimal operating parameters. The software architecture is described along with the pilot interface and many details of software implementation.

Abstract: A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.

Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus is provided at least with: a rudder angle varying device capable of changing a relation between a steering angle, which is a rotation angle of a steering input shaft, and a rudder angle, which is a rotation angle of steered wheels; and a trajectory controlling device for controlling the rudder angle varying device such that a trajectory of a vehicle approaches a target driving route of the vehicle. The vehicle driving control apparatus is further provided with a changing device for changing responsiveness of control by the trajectory controlling device when there is a steering input given to the steering input shaft through a steering wheel by a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus is provided at least with: a rudder angle varying device capable of changing a relation between a steering angle, which is a rotation angle of a steering input shaft, and a rudder angle, which is a rotation angle of steered wheels; and a trajectory controlling device for determining a control amount and controlling the rudder angle varying device such that a trajectory of a vehicle approaches a target driving route of the vehicle. The vehicle driving control apparatus is further provided with a correcting device for correcting (i) a rate of change in the rudder angle with respect to a steering amount of the steering input or (ii) the determined control amount, in accordance with whether or not a steering direction of the steering input inputted to the steering input shaft through a steering member by a driver of the vehicle is identical with a rudder angle control direction of the control amount determined by the trajectory controlling device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of managing a steering control for a steerable portion of an aircraft undercarriage, the method comprising implementing servo-control to servo-control an electromechanical steering actuator on an angular position setpoint, wherein, according to the invention, the servo-control implements a control relationship H? type, the position and speed information being delivered by means of a fieldbus of deterministic type to a computer that implements the servo-control.

Abstract: A processor system and method for accurately determining true ground speed in a vehicle having wheel-axles propelled by traction motors is provided. The vehicle is equipped with a radar unit for providing a radar signal indicative of vehicle speed relative to the ground. The radar signal is accurate when averaged over a sufficiently long period of time but may be susceptible to undesirable short term variations. The vehicle is further equipped with speed sensors coupled to the wheel-axles to supply respective wheel-axle speed signals. The respective wheel-axle speed signals may be accurate over a sufficiently short period of time but may also be susceptible to undesirable long term variations.

Abstract: An aircraft autoland flare control system which augments the autopilot's aircraft flare control commands in the event the aircraft exceeds defined flare envelopes, monitors aircraft longitudinal position, altitude, altitude rate, lateral position and lateral position rate during flare, and outputs commands to correct aircraft position thus minimizing touchdown dispersion in both the longitudinal and lateral axes. When the aircraft deviates from the flare envelopes, such as may be due to extreme atmospheric conditions such as wind gusts, a signal commanding pitch or roll correction is output to the pitch or roll control loop which subsequently acts to adjust aircraft position such that the aircraft's flarepath is returned to within the flare envelopes.

Abstract: In an aircraft, there is included a Flight Management System (FMS), Autopilot and Autothrottle for controlling the aircraft. The apparatus has a plurality of outputs for definition of the real-time targets, controlled by the Autopilot and Autothrottle, to guide the vertical position of the aircraft to a desired vertical position along the desired vertical flightplan (or profile) according to a set of operational procedures. The FMS includes an apparatus that comprises an element which provides information denoting actual vertical position of the aircraft, and an element which generates information specifying the desired vertical position of the aircraft along the predetermined desired flightplan.

Abstract: A flight control system of a turboprop airplane includes electronic controlled engines, which are governed by a manual operating device for setting the engine power in order to obtain a certain airspeed, a device for selecting a desired airspeed, and an engine control system for computing and controlling the required engine torque and speed as a function of ambient and engine conditions, the selected engine speed and the setting of said operating device. For automatically controlling the engine speed during the final approach to an airfield, the system includes an electronic approach speed control unit of which the adjustment signal influences the engine control device keeping the speed of the airplane during approach at a selected value whereby said manual operating device has a fixed setpoint. This electronic speed control unit may be carried out as an add-on device for retrofitting on a flight control system.

Abstract: Apparatus for guiding an aircraft along the center line of a runway at rollout touchdown. A rollout predict path command is generated in accordance with a first path segmentY.sub.1 =T.sub.1 (Y.sub.m +Y.sub.u)(1-e.sup.-t /Ti)-Y.sub.m t+Y.sub.ion engaging rollout mode, which path segment transitions to a second path segmentY.sub.2 =Y.sub.1 e.sup.- (t-to/T.sub.1)at a given elapsed time t.sub.o, where T.sub.1 is a predetermined time constant, Y.sub.i is an initial value of lateral displacement on rollout engagement, Y.sub.i is the time derivatives threeof, Y.sub.M is a predetermined maximum lateral displacement rate, and t is the elapsed time. The predict path command signal is combined with a rate signal derived from a localizer position estimate to produce an error signal for commanding a rudder deflection to align the aircraft with the center line of the runway.

Abstract: Deceleration control apparatus for an aircraft having an automatic altitude capture and hold system and an airspeed hold system, both systems controlled by controlling pitch attitude wherein during a descent from a higher altitude under airspeed-on-pitch control with throttle set at idle thrust, and at some existing negative altitude rate, a slower speed is commanded, a synthetic altitude based on the existing descent rate is computed and the attitude capture and hold system operation is switched into control in place of the airspeed on pitch control to cause the aircraft to flare toward the synthetic altitude. The resultant loss of airspeed, i.e., craft deceleration, during the altitude capture flare is monitored and when the commanded airspeed reduction is achieved, the airspeed-on-pitch control is resumed to thereby hold the commanded lower airspeed.

Abstract: A control system for maintaining an aircraft within the lateral boundaries of a runway during landing rollout under conditions of combined crosswind and low runway friction is disclosed. An automatic mode of operation is provided wherein the system utilizes an input signal representative of the heading of the runway being utilized and signals provided by (or derivable from ) an inertial navigation system to exercise coordinated control of the aircraft rudder, steering and differential braking system. In a semiautomatic mode of operation, signals supplied by the inertial navigation system (or its equipment) are utilized in conjunction with a continuous command signal that is provided by the pilot to indicate the desired aircraft trajectory. An optional provision is included for limiting the aircraft ground velocity slip angle to a range wherein an increase in ground velocity slip angle results in increased lateral corrective force on the aircraft.

Abstract: An improved inner loop control is disclosed for use in an aircraft pitch axis control system. Signals representative of vertical acceleration and pitch rate are complementary filtered and summed to produce an "inner loop" damping signal which is combined with "outer loop" command signals to produce an elevator control signal. The improved approach provides higher outer loop control law gains and better system stability, resulting in higher control bandwidth and tighter command tracking, especially in turbulence.

Abstract: An automatic flight control system for an aircraft having a control surface 28 and including a gyro 12 having an output applied through an attitude filter 14 to the input of a roll rate circuit 16 and a summing amplifier 18. The roll rate circuit 16 generates a rate signal that is applied to a summing amplifier 20 generating a roll rate control signal. The roll rate control signal is input to a roll servo amplifier 22. The servo amplifier 22 combines the rate control signal with a motor velocity signal from a motor velocity detector as part of a roll servomotor 26. Mechanically interconnected to the roll servomotor 26 is the control surface 28 for maneuvering an aircraft about its roll axis. Also, input to the summing amplifier 18 are aircraft command signals from a command block 10 where the authority of such signals is set by a limiter 30.

Abstract: Command from engine rating control prevents throttle position from exceeding the value at which the engine operates at its rated power. Flare initiation changes the throttle command signal from a closed loop control signal to a fixed number of degrees per second retard rate, thereby overriding an aft limit switch signal allowing throttles to reach the idle position. A servo feedback arrangement utilizes a tachometer signal and an engine PLA (power lever angle) signal to optimize servo performance and overcome undesired control cable characteristics.

Abstract: A rate-limited, signal magnitude limited, non-linearized lag circuit for processing glide slope error signals to reject noise and reduce aircraft response to hardover signals due to ground transmitter malfunctions or other anomalies. A feature of an embodiment includes a logic circuit connected to the lag circuit for preventing aircraft deviation due to hardover signals.